case : Idioms & Phrases

• an abandoned or incorrigible person. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• noun the case indicating the agent in passive sentences or the instrument or manner or place of the action described by the verb
  ablative.
  

WordNet

• noun the case of nouns serving as the direct object of a verb
  accusative; accusative case.
  

WordNet

• (Law), according to the old classification (now obsolete), was an action for redress of wrongs or injuries to person or property not specially provided against by law, in which the whole cause of complaint was set out in the writ; called also trespass on the case, or simply case.

Webster 1913

• a matter of indifference. Obs. "It is all a case to me." L'Estrange.

Webster 1913

• noun a legal action brought against parties who are charged with limiting free competition in the market place
  

WordNet

• whatever may be the state of affairs; anyhow.

Webster 1913

• noun a shallow and rectangular briefcase
  attache.
  

WordNet

• noun a word in the genitive case that is used as an attributive adjective
  attributive genitive.
  
  • an example of the attributive genetive is `John's' in `John's mother'

WordNet

• the bony on cartilaginous case inclosing the brain.

Webster 1913

• a form of coffin, usually of iron, made to close air-tight, for the preservation of a dead body.

Webster 1913

• noun agreement in grammatical case between words in the same construction
  

WordNet

• . See under Bar, n.

Webster 1913

• casuistry.

Webster 1913

• noun detailed record of the background of a person or group under study or treatment
  

WordNet

• noun an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
  precedent.
  

WordNet

• noun a metal blade with a handle; used as cutlery
  
• noun a knife with a fixed blade that is carried in a sheath
  sheath knife.
  

WordNet

Case" knife` noun

Definitions

1. A knife carried in a sheath or case. Addison.
2. A large table knife; -- so called from being formerly kept in a case.

Webster 1913

• noun a system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws
  common law; precedent.
  
  • common law originated in the unwritten laws of England and was later applied in the United States
• noun (civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions
  common law; precedent.
  

WordNet

• one versed in the reports of cases rather than in the science of the law.

Webster 1913

• noun the number of cases handled in a given period of time (as by a court or agency)
  

WordNet

• noun an operative who also serves as an official staffer of an intelligence service
  

WordNet

• noun a metallic cylinder packed with shot and used as ammunition in a firearm
  canister; canister shot.
  

WordNet

Case" shot`

Definitions

1. (Mil.) A collection of small projectiles, inclosed in a case or canister. ✍ In the United States a case shot is a thin spherical or oblong cast-iron shell containing musket balls and a bursting charge, with a time fuse; -- called in Europe shrapnel. In Europe the term case shot is applied to what in the United States is called canister. Wilhelm.

Webster 1913

• (Law), a statement in writing of facts agreed on and submitted to the court for a decision of the legal points arising on them.

Webster 1913

• noun a careful study of some social unit (as a corporation or division within a corporation) that attempts to determine what factors led to its success or failure
  
• noun a detailed analysis of a person or group from a social or psychological or medical point of view
  

WordNet

Case"-bay` noun

Definitions

1. (Arch.) (a) The space between two principals or girders. (b) One of the joists framed between a pair of girders in naked flooring.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite separate and distinct from others of the same kind
  item-by-item; individual.
  
  • mark the individual pages
  • on a case-by-case basis

WordNet

• noun the number of cases of a disease ending in death divided by the number of cases of the disease; usually expressed as a percentage or as the number of deaths per 1000 cases
  

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• adjective satellite used of persons; emotionally hardened
  hard-boiled; hardened.
  
  • faced a case-hardened judge

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• noun steel with a surface that is much harder than the interior metal
  

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• noun the number of cases of a disease divided by the number of infections with the agent that causes the disease
  case-to-infection proportion.
  

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• noun the number of cases of a disease divided by the number of infections with the agent that causes the disease
  case-to-infection proportion.
  

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• noun a case for a welfare worker
  charity case.
  

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• noun a small flat case for holding cigarettes; can be carried in a purse or a pocket
  

WordNet

• noun (printing) the receptacle in which a compositor has his type, which is divided into compartments for the different letters, spaces, or numbers
  case; compositor's case.
  
  • for English, a compositor will ordinarily have two such cases, the upper case containing the capitals and the lower case containing the small letters

WordNet

• noun a legal action to determine custody (usually of children following a divorce)
  

WordNet

• noun the category of nouns serving as the indirect object of a verb
  dative.
  

WordNet

• noun case consisting of an oblong container (usually having a lock) for carrying dispatches or other valuables
  dispatch box.
  

WordNet

• noun a glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home
  case; vitrine; showcase.
  

WordNet

• noun a small piece of luggage for carrying brushes and bottles and toilet articles while traveling
  

WordNet

• a case of toilet utensils.

Webster 1913

• noun tropical American bean with red flowers and mottled black beans similar to Phaseolus vulgaris but perennial; a preferred food bean in Great Britain
  runner bean; Phaseolus coccineus; scarlet runner; scarlet runner bean; Phaseolus multiflorus.
  

WordNet

• (Naut.), a caisson used for lifting a ship.

Webster 1913

Fly"-case` noun

Definitions

1. (Zoöl.) The covering of an insect, esp. the elytra of beetles.

Webster 1913

• noun the shell (metal casing) in which a train of gears is sealed
  gearbox; gear box.
  

WordNet

• noun the case expressing ownership
  possessive; genitive; genitive case.
  

WordNet

• noun a case for carrying spectacles
  

WordNet

• noun nouns or pronouns or adjectives (often marked by inflection) related in some way to other words in a sentence
  case.
  

WordNet

• noun a case for storing a gun
  

WordNet

• etc. See under Cancer, Case, etc.

Webster 1913

• adverb used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement; anyhow, they're quiet"; anyway, it's gone"; in any case, there was a brief scuffle"
  anyway; at any rate; in any event; anyways; anyhow.
  
  • Anyhow, he is dead now
  • I think they're asleep
  • I don't know what happened to it
  • anyway, there is another factor to consider
  • I don't know how it started
  • in any event, the government faced a serious protest
  • but at any rate he got a knighthood for it
• adverb making an additional point; anyway; besides, we can't afford it"
  besides.
  
  • I don't want to go to a restaurant
  • she couldn't shelter behind him all the time and in any case he wasn't always with her

WordNet

• whatever may be the state of affairs; anyhow.

Webster 1913

• adverb if there happens to be need
  in case.
  
  • in case of trouble call 911
  • I have money, just in case

WordNet

• if; supposing that; in the event or contingency; if it should happen that. "In case we are surprised, keep by me." W. Irving.

Webster 1913

• in good condition, health, or state of body.

Webster 1913

• adverb on one occasion
  one time; once.
  
  • once I ran into her

WordNet

• noun the earliest documented case of a disease that is included in an epidemiological study
  

WordNet

I"ron-cased` adjective

Definitions

1. Cased or covered with iron, as a vessel; ironclad.

Webster 1913

• (Alg.), a particular case in the solution of a cubic equation, in which the formula commonly employed contains an imaginary quantity, and therefore fails in its application.

Webster 1913

• adverb if there happens to be need
  in case.
  
  • in case of trouble call 911
  • I have money, just in case

WordNet

• (Law), a reported decision which has come to be regarded as settling the law of the question involved. Abbott.

Webster 1913

• noun case for carrying letters
  

WordNet

Low"er-case` adjective

Definitions

1. (Print.) Pertaining to, or kept in, the lower case; -- used to denote the small letters, in distinction from capitals and small capitals. See the Note under 1st Case, n., 3.

Webster 1913

• noun the characters that were once kept in bottom half of a compositor's type case
  minuscule; lowercase; small letter.
  

WordNet

• noun a person suffering from neurosis
  psychoneurotic; neurotic.
  

WordNet

• a case or question to be mooted; a disputable case; an unsettled question. Dryden.

Webster 1913

• noun the category of nouns serving as the grammatical subject of a verb
  nominative; nominative case.
  

WordNet

• noun a whimsically eccentric person
  screwball; fruitcake; nut; crackpot; crank.
  

WordNet

• noun the case of nouns serving as the direct object of a verb
  accusative; accusative case.
  

WordNet

• noun any grammatical case other than the nominative
  oblique.
  

WordNet

• (Gram.), any case except the nominative. See Case, n.

Webster 1913

• noun a small traveling bag to carry clothing and accessories for staying overnight
  overnighter; overnight bag.
  

WordNet

• noun a large crate in which goods are packed for shipment or storage
  packing box.
  

WordNet

• noun a box for holding pencils
  pencil box.
  

WordNet

• a holder for pencil lead.

Webster 1913

• noun the case expressing ownership
  possessive; genitive; genitive case.
  

WordNet

• (Eng. Gram.), the genitive case; the case of nouns and pronouns which expresses ownership, origin, or some possessive relation of one thing to another; as, Homer's admirers; the pear's flavor; the dog's faithfulness.

Webster 1913

• formerly, an elliptical expression for, put or suppose the case to be.

  Put case that the soul after departure from the body may live. Bp. Hall.

Webster 1913

• a glaed case, box, or cabinet for displaying and protecting shopkeepers' wares, articles on exhibition in museums, etc.

Webster 1913

• noun organ containing or producing spores
  spore sac; sporangium.
  
• noun specialized leaf branch in certain aquatic ferns that encloses the sori or clusters of sporangia
  sporocarp.
  

WordNet

• . See Steam jacket, under Jacket.

Webster 1913

• noun the category of nouns serving as the grammatical subject of a verb
  nominative; nominative case.
  

WordNet

• noun a representative legal action whose outcome is likely to become a precedent
  test suit.
  

WordNet

• noun small pastry shell for creamy mixtures of minced foods
  timbale.
  

WordNet

• to suppose a hypothetical or illustrative case.

Webster 1913

• to suppose; to assume. Cf. Put case, under Put, v. t. Obs. Chaucer.

Webster 1913

• noun a box or chest or cabinet for holding hand tools
  toolbox; tool cabinet; tool chest.
  

WordNet

• noun an action brought to recover damages from a person whose actions have resulted indirectly in injury or loss
  
  • a person struck by a log as it was thrown onto a road could maintain trespass against the thrower but one who was hurt by stumbling over it could maintain and action on the case

WordNet

• . (Law) See Action on the case, under Case.

Webster 1913

• noun a case in which to display trophies
  

WordNet

• noun (printing) the receptacle in which a compositor has his type, which is divided into compartments for the different letters, spaces, or numbers
  case; compositor's case.
  
  • for English, a compositor will ordinarily have two such cases, the upper case containing the capitals and the lower case containing the small letters

WordNet

• the top one of a pair of compositor's cases. See the Note under 1st Case, n., 3.

Webster 1913

• noun one of the large alphabetic characters used as the first letter in writing or printing proper names and sometimes for emphasis; capitals were kept in the upper half of the type case and so became known as upper-case letters"
  uppercase; capital letter; majuscule; capital.
  
  • printers once kept the type for capitals and for small letters in separate cases

WordNet

• noun the case (in some inflected languages) used when the referent of the noun is being addressed
  vocative.
  

WordNet

• noun the metal case in which the works of a watch are housed
  

WordNet

• the case, or outside covering, of a watch; also, a case for holding a watch, or in which it is kept.

Webster 1913

• noun a case for a welfare worker
  charity case.
  

WordNet

• noun either of the horny front wings in beetles and some other insects which cover and protect the functional hind wings
  elytron.
  

WordNet

• (Zoöl.), one of the anterior wings of beetles, and of some other insects, when thickened and used to protect the hind wings; an elytron; called also wing cover.

Webster 1913